Automobile curtain



' Mar. 3. 1925.

w. G. RICKER AUTOMOBILE CURTAIN Filed March 5, i924 Patented Mar. 3, 1925'.

UNITED STATES WALTER G,

i 5 AUTOMOBILE CURTAIN. 1

PATENT OFFICE.

RICKER, 0F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO vIIIIEOITARID R. MEPHAN, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

Application filed Ma ch 5, 1924. Serial No. 696,940.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER G. RIGKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore city, State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automobile Curtains, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automobilebodies and more particularly to means whereby the side curtains can be conveniently stored out of sight when not in use, one of the objects being to utilize the side doors of the vehicle as housing for storing the curtains.

Another object is to utilize means for guiding the curtains into and out of their housings, the curtain carrying structure being adjustable laterally to different widths to adapt them to doors of different sizes.

A further object is to provide a means for partially ejecting the curtains when released from their housings.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, theinvention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from. the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawing the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of an automobile having the present improvements applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a section on line 22 Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3, Figure 1.

Figure 4 i'sa detail view of a portion of the curtain and its frame removed from the door. 2

Figure 5 is an enlarged transverse section through a portion of a door and the curtain.

Figure 6 is a section through the meeting portions of the frame.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference, 1 designates a hollow door of a vehicle body B, the top of the door being closed normally by a cover 2. Insertible downwardly into the door is a frame con sisting of parallel guide rods 3 the lower ends of which are extended toward each other, as at 4 and 5. The end portion 5 is enlarged and has a bore 6 for the reception of the end portion 4 and a spring 7 bearing against said end 4. Thus the frame is normally extended laterally to fit properly in a door of any width.

Slidably and rotatably mounted on each rod 3 is a sleeve 8 having a longitudinal flange 9. A flexible middle curtain 10 is secured to the flanges on the two sleeves and bridges the space between the rods 3. End curtains 11 are secured to and extend laterally from the respective flanges and all of the curtains are provided at their free edges with any suitable means, such as eyelets 12, whereby they can be fastened to the vehicle top T. Springs 13 are mounted on the lower portions of the rods 3 and form resilient supports for the sleeves 8.

Channeled guides 14 are secured in the door at opposite portions thereof and the rods 3 and springs 13 are insertible downwardly thereinto. Sleeves 8 can be slid upwardly on rods 3 to bring the curtains above the door. These curtains can then be fastened as shown in Figure 1. IVhen it is desired to house the curtains the end curtains 11 are folded onto the curtain 10 and the sleeves 8 rotated to extend toward each other. The sleeves and curtains are then lowered into the door, the flanges and those portions of the curtains attached thereto moving downwardly into the channeled guides 14. The sleeves will finally come against and compress springs 13 after which the cover 2 can be shut. When the cover is opened the depressed sleeves and curtains will be released and the springs will project them upwardly slightly beyond the top of the doorwhere they can be grasped and pulled up readily.

What is claimed is 1. The combination with a combineddoor and housing, of guide rods therein, curtain carrying members slidable on the rods, yieldable su ports for the members, and means for hol ing the members in the door and the supports under compression. 7

2. The combination with a combined door and housing, of curtain carrying members slidable into and out of the door, guides therefor, means for holding the members within the door, and means for automatically ej ecting the members when released.

3. The combination with a combined door and housing, of members slidably and rotatably mounted, foldable curtains connected to themembers, slidably connected rods slidably and rotatably engaged by the members andlocated in the door, and means in the door for guiding the curtains within the door.

4. The combination with a combined door and housing, and channeled guides therein, of a yieldingly extensible frame insertible 10 into the door and guides, members slidably and rotatably mounted on the sides of the frame, curtains connecting and extending from said members, said curtains being fold able and movable with the members into the door and guides, and yieldabie supports forthe members when fully housed in the door.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

WALTER G. RICKER. 

